Mould Series: Bittersweet Mould
by TheMightyRen
Summary: 7yrs post BD Bella returns to Forks unbeknown to everyone from her past. Human. Jacob's finally found the courage to move on & she is ready to be the best friend she always wanted to be, one thing remains, can he let her?
1. Chapter 1

Don't forget to check out my new site, happyeverafterproject(.)ning(.)com there are **exclusive chapters **for most of my stories that are only posted over there – link is on my profile page.

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Bittersweet Mould: One.

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_Trying to forget something you love is like trying to remember someone you never knew – Unknown._

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Jacob stood fidgeting with his tie, using the mirror on the back of his dad's bedroom door to help. He re-tucked his white shirt into the 'slate' - _grey_ dress pants before lifting each leg and fidgeting with the hem, tugging at the black and grey argyle socks that encased his feet in the over-shiny shoe's.

It had been seven years next month since he'd last phased, seven years since he'd been to a wedding. He didn't go to Sam and Emily's, Jared and Kim's, or even Rachel and Paul's and he'd skirted around Charlie and Sue's, even though Charlie had begged the young man he considered his son to attend.

The after thing, Jacob could do that. _Food!_ Like Jacob Black would miss the opportunity of a free buffet. Not on your life. The 'deal' was that, so long as it wasn't too fancy he would go, but weddings were always fancy and fancy wasn't Jacob Black, that's what he had told every single one of them. Over and over and over again, but they all knew better though, they knew that wasn't the real reason why Jake didn't go to wedding's. The real reason was never mentioned. Nobody liked to see a strong man weak or to watch him swallow thickly. Jake would prefer a funeral over a wedding any day.

Funerals, like baptisms were essential, part of being a Christian, which he wasn't particularly interested in, nor was anyone he knew. Really. In today's society what was the point in getting _married_? It just ended with single parent families, debt, and that's all he had seen. Unless you were imprinted on, and he wasn't.

Weddings weren't essential. You could live with someone, love someone, have kids, and be a family together without a wedding. At least that was what Jacob thought, and Jacob had done a lot of thinking about religion, souls, morals and all that other stuff that gave you a shoe in at the pearly gates, and he'd done it for one reason specifically. Getting married didn't interest him, not one little bit.

Jacob disliked fancy things. If something would, _could _make do, then he would be more than happy. He didn't need expensive things, I mean sure, he _liked_ expensive things – _sometimes._ Like that one pair of nice boxers Rach had bought him when he hadn't phased for two years straight, and he'd enjoyed that time when Tess insisted on going to that expensive Italian place in Seattle when they first started dating. He was sure he was going to enjoy the massive LCD TV and Super King-Size bed that he would be sleeping in for the next two weeks, but really, those things were exceptions. One-offs. Things Jacob himself would never splurge on. Jacob had been happy in his twin bed in his eight by five foot bedroom, his dads old black and white TV with a coat hanger for an aerial, and day old left over pizza; which Tess would never let him eat. She said something about Salmonella or something like that.

The thing Jacob liked best was wearing hardly any clothes, so currently he found himself very uncomfortable standing in all this 'get-up'.

Jacob Black had been the pack guinea-pig in many respects being the first to stop phasing. It had been hard, but worth it. Only now were Paul and Sam both beginning to consider not doing it anymore.

There had been times when all he wanted to do was rip into one of those cold, granite-like _**beings**_ that passed close to his reservation but at the same time he didn't want to take the risk. He didn't want to come across anyone he'd once known because he knew what his reaction would be, and what he would instinctively do. That was another one of those things that no one ever spoke about.

The pack had learned a lot from their 'guinea-pig', firstly, cold turkey was probably not the best way to go about things, but Jacob being as stubborn as he was about his decision insisted it was either all or nothing, he of course was aiming for all.

The majority of his senses waned and although they were weaker he found them to still be more acute than an human. Jacob's physique stayed the same with very little attention and his temperature levelled out just above normal. Enough that he should still be at deaths door but again a little more average. The final thing, the thing that had really concerned his brothers, as well as the elders was for nine months he ate hardly anything. There were several theories on this; theories Jacob didn't like to think about because they were unconnected to his wolf.

As you can imagine, Jacob standing in the slight summer sun, in his father's stuffy bedroom was sweating his bollocks off with all these layer's on.

In seven years things had changed, a lot. He was no longer a wolf - obviously, and he was a businessman, his own boss. He owned the first gym ever in Forks. The only down side to that was the fact that it was directly adjacent to Newton's Outfitters so he _still_ had to tolerate that marshmallow. Only now it was on an almost daily basis as the smuck floated through his door twice a day. _**Twice!**_ The idiot was certain that by using Black's Gym and picking his trainer's brain's constantly he could obtain what had come to be known in the local area as the La Push Physique… _Yea, really not going to happen_. Anyway Jacob owned his own house, he had a new car, like new-_new_, because there was less maintenance that way and Jacob NEVER, EVER, under no circumstances, no matter what, not even for something as simple as to fill the screen wash, check the oil, change a tyre or check the pressure. No, Jacob Black DID NOT under any circumstances do any sort of auto-mechanical repair, or maintenance.

NEVER.

Jacob Black was just hours away from breaking one of his cast-iron rules: to never attend another wedding, under any circumstances, _no matter what_.

Although when Jacob made that vow he had been young and at the time, suffering terribly from tunnel vision and he hadn't actually planned on ever getting married himself.

Now as I mentioned before Jacob Black didn't think it was one of those 'essential' things, he didn't even believe it was one of those 'life milestones', someone specific had stolen all the beauty, all the meaning, the elation that Jacob Black had envisioned that came along with marriage and yet he was still standing here; now fiddling with the cuff-links in his overpriced shirt cuff's, in his over starched shirt, and Jacob Black was _still_ getting married.

In just over twenty-four hours time.

He wasn't nervous; he didn't have cold feet although he was sure the future Mrs. Black did. It was just the 'girly' thing to do and if one thing he knew about his long standing girlfriend - of _six whole months_ was she was girly – to a T. He knew what kind of dress she would be wearing, how her hair would be done, that she'd have those horrific artificial nails, welded onto the end of her delicate fingers. How did he know? Because, as she had told him, she'd been planning this event since she was three years old - and it was going to be perfect.

Her mother disagreed though, she said it was when her daughter was two years old that she first showed an interest in meeting her Prince Charming, in fact Charming was what Estelle, Tess' mother called him.

Prince Charming, what a load of shit.

All this was because of blood lines and bullshit like that, if it was up to Jacob they wouldn't be getting married at all. The comments ranging from, _'It's time you found someone to share your achievements with Jacob,' _to _'Haven't you started on the next generation of Black's yet, Jacob?'_ He knew it was time to move on and really there was no reason why Jacob hadn't had a steady girlfriend or why he lived alone in that family-sized house near to the boundary line.

Like I said before things had changed but Jacob wasn't stupid enough to know that not _everything_ had changed. Something that Jacob wouldn't discuss under any circumstances, those thing's had never changed. At least for him they hadn't but at the same time he understood that there was no point in brooding, that there was no point in not embracing his life – _even if she had ended her own._

You see, Jacob's inner voice was a sneaky fucker. Every so often he would slip something like that through Jacob's subconscious, just enough to make sure he didn't ever forget.

Alas - this wedding, this marriage was going to be one of the things he excelled at. There had been hardly anything Jacob had considered he'd failed at, which was actually part of the reason why he _was_ getting married, so he didn't fail, so he could provide his family, his tribe with what they needed.

An heir.

On one hand he was almost repulsed by the idea of passing his genes on to another generation; his genes were defective and at the same time he could still feel the overwhelming urge from his wolf to produce another generation, a large quantity of the next generation. That was something that puzzled Jake; he'd always, _always_ longed for a large family, strong, broad, troublesome boys, and tiny, delicate, clumsy little girls, who played in the mud until bedtime, he wondered if it was something that had always come from his fury side or if his wolf was complying with him? What puzzled him more was his wolf hadn't made an appearance in over four years. Not even the slightest rumble – until someone mentioned kid's.

The knock of the bedroom door brought him from his thoughts as he swung his jacket over his shoulder,

"You ready for this son?" He grinned. He _really_ was ready for this. He was ready for a new chapter of his life to start. He didn't expect it to be perfect, nothing ever was but _he_ was going to give it his best shot.

"Sure'am Chief." He responded, following his father's best friend down the hallway to his waiting father and fiancé so they could join her family for dinner, before she checked into the hotel they would be spending the following night in before jetting off where ever the hell it was off the coast of Mexico that her family had rented for them.

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The next day Jacob found himself in another over priced, over starched suit, in front of another mirror, his house this time, his room. Again fidgeting with his tie, his shirt, his pants, his shoe's.

Clothes his body hated them.

It felt so unnatural to be covered like this. The pollen from the flower in his button hole was aggravating his nose. He just wanted to get all this formal shit out of the way so they can go to the beach for the food.

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	2. Chapter 2

Don't forget to check out my new site, happyeverafterproject(.)ning(.)com there are **exclusive chapters **for most of my stories that are only posted over there – link is on my profile page.

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Bittersweet Mould : Two

oOo

She travelled light now, not that she had ever really had an awful lot of possession's that she found essential but Bella could live out of your average sized back pack for over a month _without_ doing laundry. She'd learned to live like that: out of a backpack.

Hacking halfway through the Amazon with Emmet and Rose shortly after her graduation from Dartmouth which was supposed to last for a month. It didn't. Emmet had wanted to see if they could do it without 'cheating', which really meant he wanted to see if Bella could manage it without breaking her neck and she did, then Emmet decided that actually hacking through the Amazon 'mortal style' wasn't much fun at all and if they ran for a day straight they would be home in time for that new x-box game that was about to be released that he'd been unable to obtain through the Cullen's 'usual' channels. Which actually translated to a large cash pay-off and a substantial donation towards the next game in the series.

Bella didn't blanch at her family's money now, although she had never embraced it the way Edward had wanted. She found it amusing now, she was quite happy to live a 'student' lifestyle. She had embraced that, even if it had taken her almost two thirds of her degree to settle into doing so. Edward had simply laughed at her.

Now, it wasn't the first time she'd been back here, back home to Forks since she and her now ex-husband had eloped to Vegas. Just the way she had wanted to almost seven years ago. So they could avoid the overly girly, overly fancy wedding her almost-sister had envisioned. That was the first 'change' Bella Swan had gone through, she learned the importance of split second decisions, impulsiveness. Even if it had taken her the best part of those first two years to recover from that first decision and she wasn't entirely sure if Alice had recovered at all, even now. Bella realised that it would take her longer being a vampire and all.

She'd seen how much everything had changed here, in Forks. The warehouse-like building to the side of Newton's where she'd worked as a teen, Black's Gym, the name of the new Chief of Police at the front of the building that figuratively held her fathers wife and family, the newly built high school in place of the one she attended, where many of her old teachers still worked, where her old English teacher, whom she'd actually been up against for the role of head of department in her most recent job acquisition still worked. Not many people could compete with her level of qualifications or experience.

Bella revelled in the fact she was now her teachers boss, he always had been a bit of a fool, he lacked passion and interest. Teaching she thought had always been a _job_ to him, the subject unimportant. To Bella she saw passion and not from the kind of book's she used to read but in the power of language. She'd experienced firsthand how influential children, teenagers could be and she'd made a lot of impulsive decision's during that impressionable time of her life.

She'd come to realise that maybe her mom wasn't as flighty as she once thought but embraced life and she wasn't afraid to change her mind. In a roundabout way Bella now admired her mother.

Now, after four years she was properly going to lay down roots again and she'd decided it was time to come home - it was just coincidence that a good job had come up at the right time.

Gone was the needy, selfish, naive girl and in her place was a knowledgeable, strong, independent woman, that now knew who she was and how to handle herself privately and publicly, for that she felt she owed to two people, Rosalie and David. She also knew she was now strong enough, sure enough that she could come here, come _home_ and face everything _ALONE_, even without them_._

Really underneath everything she had missed being here, missed talking to her mom and dad, her friends. The last she realised was never going to be the same and sure, it hurt but at the same time she had gotten over it, moved on.

What choice did she have?

Bella Swan was content all on her own, to read and write, do yoga, surf, swim, run, dance, drink. Bella Swan did all sorts – in fact, she did anything she fancied _when_ she fancied it.

She'd wondered time and again, late at night, when she lay alone or in someone else's arms, it didn't matter really. She'd thought about home, the apologies she'd have to make _when_ she did eventually come home. After seven years of no contact and the way she left things, she knew it wouldn't go over smoothly. She had no expectations of simply walking back into her parent's lives' without having some pretty difficult questions to answer.

She did have one place she thought she should go first, where part of her wanted to go first but she was scared, she knew she had no right. She didn't know exactly how much had changed in La Push. Bella went to the Station, which is how she found out Charlie was no longer Chief of Police, which is how she found out he now rented out the house she'd spent the two most life changing years of her life in.

However, one thing she _didn't_ know was what to expect if she went to the address that was scribbled on the back of an old till receipt, tucked into the back pocket of her cord jeans, unfortunately Bella Swan was still an over thinker especially something as important as this she knew she couldn't be completely casual about it but on the other hand she could see how being relaxed and casual – honest, was probably going to be the only way she was going to get through. After all there was nothing she could change now.

So, she called the cell number she had been given by the receptionist at the PD –because, let's be honest, she knew everyone was just waiting to hear from the flighty Ex-Police Chiefs daughter who ran off with the doctors son, straight out of high school to get married. Leaving it so late before they eloped that people were already arriving for the wedding, the reception was all set up and there was no time to change anything.

Now honestly Bella didn't regret any of her married life, well not much of it, she'd gained a true family, more than just a single parent, she'd learned to fit in there somewhere, somehow, despite their differences both mortal and immortal. She'd endured the squabbles, the tears and the laughter and she'd learned how to let them go, not in the natural sense but little by little she'd grown on her own and learned to be independent.

Right at this moment, eight am on Saturday morning she sat with her hands round a coffee mug in the diner, her knees drawn up as she absentmindedly looked out the window toward the forest. It was the same diner where she would come every Friday with her dad and she was pleased to see that there had even been subtle changes here too. The decor, the menu, the roof, there was a new _roof_. Jasper said she was sentimental about change, she wasn't though, she knew what she was – a weirdo, she often joked about it with him and Rose about it. She wasn't appreciative or particularly welcoming to change still. Change, life progression still scared her, she was more than comfortable to admit that privately. To get around that fear she simply didn't think about it, it was better to leave change to get on with its thing, it seemed to know what it was doing and in turn she would deal with it when she needed to and the rest of the time she didn't pay it any attention. It was the best way, the mortal way she thought.

She'd finished eating by the time her _changed_ father walked through the door, in an open flannel shirt, white t-shirt, jeans and boots. His hair dishevelled, he looked like he'd literally just rolled out of bed and into… she looked toward the front, where the cars were and wondered what car he drove because obviously he would no longer have the cruiser. By the time she re-focused the woman behind the counter, whom she didn't know had pointed him in her direction. She looked up at him and smiled gently and gave a small wave before standing to greet him.

"_Bells?"_

WOW!

This is weird.

It was like she was really, _really_ back now. She didn't give him chance to question her further; she flung her arms round his neck,

"_Dad,"_ she sighed, it was the first time ever she'd really felt how truly valuable her dad was to her. "I missed you so much." His arms wound around her awkwardly, cautiously almost as he patted her back. She could tell he was still in shock but his tone reflected his anger,

"You never called." She chewed her lip briefly,

"No, I didn't. I'm sorry." Bella decided it was probably better that they had this first meeting in public. He would be more likely to stay calm. Charlie looked away, almost as if he was ashamed of her before his eyes snapped to her left hand and nodded,

"Where's he? If they are back I want to tell the boys." Now even though Bella was quite prepared for the fall out of disappearing seven years ago, she didn't quite know what to tell him about any of _that._ "Bella, where is your husband? Where is Edward?" Those questions gave strong, confident Bella an out, a way to at least admit one of her mistakes.

"Firstly I am no longer married, secondly, if the 'boys' still need to know where they are I have no idea, they are not in Washington as far as I know and nor do they plan on returning." She remembered back to when she had first got married, it couldn't have been three months before Carlisle received the only voicemail from a very drunk Charlie, asking about _his girl_ and how if he was such a _moral vampire_, how he could take his little girl away without getting her to say goodbye. So Bella knew that Charlie had found out the secret and really that only made everything more difficult to deal with. Bella turned and motioned for her father to sit,

"Do you want anything? You look like you need a coffee, I'm getting another." Bella could see the woman at the counter eyeing them and she raised her mug with a smile, signalling for two without waiting for her father's response.

Sheepishly Bella looked down at the table, tucking her legs up in front of her again, it was one of those defence mechanisms she allowed herself. "I can't _believe_ you retired, I would have sworn you would have wanted to be buried there." She looked up to him the small wry smile in place. Charlie wasn't swallowing any of this though and he leaned back in his chair crossing his arms across his chest. She recognised that stance and she certainly didn't like seeing it on her father, she huffed at the same time he did, the waitress placing the mugs in front of both of them before taking Bella's used one.

"All these years, everything I found out Bella, and you ask about my retirement?" Bella sighed, looking back out to the tree line.

"Well honestly dad, where do you want to start?"

"Where do I want to start?" Charlie leaned forward toward her and whispered, pointing at the table between them, "How about you start with what the hell you were doing marrying a vampire, and deciding to give everything and everyone up to marry him." Charlie leaned back again, crossing his arms before speaking at a normal volume again, "That's not even the worst thing Bella, you lied and you've continued to lie for seven years."

Now Bella knew she had done many things but she had never lied, firstly she knew she was still no good at it but second she had omitted details and mainly to protect those that she _did_ love.

"I evaded and avoided, that's very different to lying _dad," _She made a point of calling him that considering he had made a point by calling her Bella and not Bells. "Anything else you want to know?"

"Yea," Charlie huffed before smoothing down his moustache, "why didn't he go through with it?" Bella watched as his eyes narrowed slightly,

"At first I found… other reasons to stay as we were, I had college. It wasn't something I wanted to give up achieving and then… I met someone." Bella shrugged. It wasn't like she thought Charlie would ask a lot of detail but she also wasn't naive enough to see how he could be angered by the situation.

"You met someone else? After being as sure as you were – you _**just **__met someone else_?" Bella nodded, she still couldn't stop the smile creeping onto her face when she thought of him, David.

"Well it's a damn good thing he didn't do what you wanted isn't it Bella?"

Bella sighed, leaning back into the seat, letting her legs drop from the chair to rest on the ground, taking another drink. "Most defiantly." She swallowed, "Look dad," she scratched her nail nervously against a mark she'd found on the table top, "I don't expect anything from you, I just didn't want you to find out I was back from someone else. I mean, of course I'd like to… re-establish some sort of relationship with you but it's totally up to you, I understand how different things are." Charlie chugged back the rest of his coffee,

"Did you come back for him, Bells?" Bella frowned,

"Who? _Jake? _No Dad, no." She was quiet for a moment as her father studied her features and she wondered if she was still an open book and how good her father was at reading her. "I mean, I'm not, I don't… You all have your own lives now and I'm happy on my own dad. I have lots of things to occupy my time." She laughed nervously under her father's gaze, "I'm a lot more like mom than I thought I was." She met his eyes, "It's not such a bad thing, ya'no?" She shrugged; her dad cracked a smile at that. Bella watched as Charlie's expression changed, he looked almost like he was in pain.

"I wish you'd come back even as much as a week ago Bells." Bella swallowed, nervous again,

"Why's that dad?"

"I have to go, Bells, busy day. You have a good one, the sun looks like its going to make an appearance; you should go the beach." With that Charlie got up kissing his daughter on the top of her head and walked for the door. Bella watched him pull away in a Toyota of some sort and she smiled. She knew for a fact he'd intentionally dodged her why. She looked down at her watch, eight thirty AM. She had nothing to do, not that she'd been expecting to be tied up with her dad all day but she really didn't have anything she needed to be doing, at least not until Monday, when she was going in to meet her staff, officially for the first time. That was how she found herself pulling her Dragon Green Syncro onto the dirt lot of First Beach before ducking into the back to get changed.

oOo

Charlie ambled back up his front path, greeted by his wife of three years, Sue didn't know what to say, how do you possibly ask someone if their child has become one of the undead, one of _them?_ She wished he had taken Seth, it would have been safer, so much safer. She couldn't loose Charlie, not now, she'd lost enough. Charlie had reasoned with her that today of all days he couldn't expect one of the boys not to be missed. He was going to have enough trouble hiding this.

Charlie was too distraught to do anything but wrap his arms around his wife and hold her silently, Sue was all ready to head out the door and over to Billy's.

"Come on, go change. We can talk in the car." Charlie nodded and dragged himself up stairs. As he pulled himself up the last step he realised he should probably shower. Stupidly he pulled his tee up to his face and inhaled deeply. All he could smell was detergent. After consulting his watch he decided that the shower was absolutely necessary, even if they did end up running a little late.

oOo


	3. Chapter 3

Don't forget to check out my new site, happyeverafterproject(.)ning(.)com there are **exclusive chapters **for most of my stories that are only posted over there – link is on my profile page.

oOo

Bittersweet Mould: Three.

oOo

"Dumb-ass surfer's, can't they see the parking's reserved. _Jeeze!_" Embry rolled his eyes at Quil. He'd taken every scrap of responsibility Jake had given him very seriously, because honestly they all knew Quil was as scatter brained as his nine year old imprint, Claire when you fed her Pop Rocks. Jacob had in fact trusted his best friend with a whole lot of responsibility's and as far as he could see this dark green hippy van, complete with surf board leaning on the side and discarded wet-suit by the sliding side door was messing up everything. Quil was sure the music was turned up so loud that it sounded like it was close to blowing the speakers out.

"Quit worrying it's _one_ van, we'll ask him to move and it'll be problem solved."

"Yea, that's if he's not passed out stoned in there." Embry rolled his eyes again. It was all he ever seemed to do in response to Quil's ranting. They reached the van's side door and Embry raised his hand and pounded flat palmed on the door,

"Dude, you gotta move the van." He called out hoping whoever it was would hear above the song, he couldn't quite put his finger on the band, "It's in pretty good shape this van, Jake'l be sorry he missed seeing it."

"Yea, sure. Whatever, let's just get the damn thing moved!" Quil sullenly shoved his hands into the front pockets of his cut off jeans, rocking on the balls of his feet impatiently.

"_Hang on a minute!" _The voice called back. Inside the van Bella was just finishing up brushing her teeth – something she'd become obsessed with a long time ago because living in the van didn't always mean she got to have regular showers. Whoever it was weren't going to give her chance to finish up her sixty-five repetitions because they were banging on the side of the van _again._

_Seriously was this guy having a laugh?_

Furiously, not being the slightest bit concerned she was only wearing her underwear, a zip-through hoodie, and socks she yanked the door back and spat the toothpaste out the door to the side of the figure before scooping her hair back out of her face lifting her head up in the process. Just as she was about to berate the imbecile pounding on her pride and joy she opened her eyes to see none other than Embry Call.

Embry and Quil just stood there, jaws slack, eyes wide. Shock didn't cover what they were experiencing.

"Holy shit!" Bella gasped.

"_Bella?" _All Bella could do was swallow, she was always, _always _astounded how unchanging mythical creatures were. Embry had not changed one bit in seven whole years, she saw Quil, also just the same as he had been the last time she had seen him. Quickly she scanned the rest of the lot praying that the final third of the trio was nowhere in sight.

"Whatever, Emb. You gotta move the van – 'space is reserved." Embry was shocked, Quil was pissed – no one, especially not Bella Swan, Cullen, whatever the fuck she was now, was messing up today. The parking was reserved – end-of-story! Bella seemed to shake herself off, while Embry took in every last detail, her sun-kissed skin, her filled out figure, toned legs and mismatched lips before finally focusing on her bare left hand. Bella Swan _had changed._ A lot and totally not how any of them had expected.

Bella found herself scrambling so she was sitting up and leaning back on her calves, tooth brush still poised somewhere in mid-air. Why oh why oh _why_ hadn't she thought _this_ though. A simple surf, the wind was good, it was dry, still pretty early and the beach had been empty and somehow everything had still gone to shit.

She realised she had to move and fast because seeing Jake again was something she did have to think about and she bet Jake wasn't too far away, he never was from these two. Of everyone she realised she should have probably called him at some point, a letter – anything would have worked.

She regretted that now but she had needed the space, the freedom from everyone. She'd created this bubble and at first it had been fragile, it was only recently that she was strong enough to be truly independent. It was all so new to her to find her own reassurance, but the first place she had come was here. Surely that would mean something. Deep down she didn't think it would.

"You want the van moving? Sure two minutes – I'll be gone." By this point Quil had, had more of a chance to think about what was actually going on and _who_ it actually was in the van.

"You're going to leave _again_ without saying anything to him." Bella frowned.

"What? You just said-"

"That's not what he meant Bella." Embry interjected, realising his friends thought pattern better than Bella did – after all he did _actually_ share a mind with him on a daily basis.

"Shit, Em, _today_, all these years and she comes back **today**." Quil threw his hands up in the air before bringing them down, slapping against his thigh's. He looked… frazzled, she didn't think that would ever be possible, Quil was the pack clown. Embry swallowed, Quil was right, today was not the best day and yet he couldn't help but think at least it was better than it being tomorrow.

"Ok, right," Bella was still mentally berating herself and not paying much attention to either of them, she only had one thing on her mind right now and it was getting out of here, looking between the two boys before hopping out she lifting her board onto the roof and tying it down.

Both Embry and Quil stood there, mouths agape, Bella Swan was prancing about in broad daylight wearing barely any clothes.

She turned and picked up her wet suit, shook it off quickly and tossed it into the front foot well, she would deal with that later, she felt that she was running out of time.

They watched as she dragged the side-door closed again and jumped in the front seat, gunning up the engine. Embry saw her shifting into gear and panicked,

"Bella! H-he's getting married – _today!_" She _did_ still care, Embry could see by the way she dropped her head a fraction and squeezed her eyes shut. This was not good, Bella didn't want this, she wasn't about to stand and say she objected at his wedding, what right did she have?

None, absolutely none.

She'd taken too long to come home. Her knuckle's white as she gripped the wheel. She had to put a lid on her reaction and fast. She knew it wasn't something he would rush into. It was something she would have to deal with and accept. For a moment she hoped he didn't want to resume any sort of friendship then she could just get on with her own life in her little bubble like she had been all these years.

"That's great, Embry." Swallowing past the knot in her windpipe, she rolled her shoulders and composed herself, smiling, not quite looking at either of the boys. "I'd say for you to convey my best wishes to the both of them but it's a little complicated, isn't it?" She tapped her index finger at the top of the wheel chewing the inside of her right cheek.

She _**had**_ to get out of here. She felt the bubbling desperation beginning to coil in her chest.

"Umm, yea – we'll tell him when we… ya no, get chance." What Embry really meant was he really wanted to leave telling Jake till he got back home – after everything and at the same time he really wanted to know what Jake's reaction would be.

"So, we gonna see you again or are you leaving, leaving?" Quil asked. Bella, who didn't quite know what to say, it had been a long while since she had been caught off guard the way Quil and Embry had done today and it had left her out of sorts.

Generally she could be laid back about everything but these people knew her, they knew her history, her family, she couldn't shrug it off like she could have if she'd been in the supermarket or at work.

Her eyes scanned the parking lot again but she knew she wouldn't see him if he didn't want her to. What a mess, what a stupid mistake to make by coming down here.

She swallowed hesitantly, "Umm, probably, yea. I'm the new head of English up at Forks High." She began to pull the van out of the 'spot' and turn around,Quil and Embry followed her as she turned, standing on the near side of the van.

"Where are you staying?" Embry had to shout a little above the sound of the engine.

"Oh," she pointed in the direction of Forks. "It's a little bungalow, lays back off the road but you can't miss it. It's the only one like it. White with green shutters and trim." Placing her shaky hand back on the wheel she began to slowly roll forwards out of the lot. "You guys should, um, you know… drop in. It's been ages since I cooked and… I'm sure… whoever needs to know will have questions for me."

"Yea, yea he will." Quil called after her, she knew exactly who he meant. Bella just couldn't stand it any longer.

She was right they did know exactly where that cottage was because many time's when there hadn't been space they'd actually parked on the old vacant house's driveway when there hadn't been room on Jake's, next door. It had only recently been painted white and green, the last month or so.

"Shit!" Embry muttered as she pulled out of sight.

"You tell me? What we gona do?"

"Fuck if I know."

oOo

Charlie didn't say a word until he was in the car, Sue drove. He didn't feel up to it right now. He still didn't know how to process the information. Bella was safe – at least safer than he thought she had been. He let out a long breathy sigh; Sue knew he was ready to talk once he'd done that so she started the engine.

oOo

Bella didn't go straight home, she couldn't bare it, she didn't want to leave La Push yet it had always been home to her more than anywhere she'd ever been. The blue's, green's and brown's weren't quite the same anywhere else so she drove into the reservation.

Jake was getting married. She was so torn; pleased he had moved forwards, yet extremely regretful at the same time. She knew it was her own fault, fate had come to bite her in the ass and she had no place being envious of his happiness. She parked up outside the store, the parking wasn't restricted there and decided to take a walk, when she parked up to go surfing earlier it hadn't been restricted but she felt she needed to stay close. If she remembered correctly the bleached out tree should just be a little way down.

Once she parked up she pulled on her cords again only just realising she'd paraded herself in front of Quil and Embry earlier. That was something she would never have dreamed of doing five years ago. Heading over to the back of the store after dropping the pins of the van to lock it she headed in the direction of the tree, Jake's and her tree. She wondered if maybe she shouldn't be _here_ exactly, like it was some form of disrespect to him that she was here now, today. As she drew closer to it she just felt wrong. Was it somewhere he brought _her?_

Oh yes! She could fully understand how Jake had felt about Edward all those years ago, she thought she'd understood at the time but right now it was so much _more_.

Edward… she found herself wrapping her arms around her middle. So much had changed since she'd been _here _last, she didn't feel right sitting there on her own, she never had done, so she began to walk up toward the tidal pools. She wondered what would have actually happened if she had taken any number of opportunities to change the path of her life before meeting David. She wondered if Jacob had ever imprinted, was that who he was marrying? Would _they_ have ever imprinted? Jake said it was supposed to be the first time you saw her once you became a wolf but Bella had hoped in some way that her then bond with Edward may have stopped hers and Jacob's connection from coming to fruition. He was so certain she was everything he ever needed. It would have been something amazing if he had been right.

Would she have ever wanted that? Really? If Edward had stayed in Denali the first time he left would things have been different? Would Jake have even phased? Shaking her head she decided that she couldn't regret anything that happened. There were things that she didn't want to take back.

She was resigned that everything did happen, and everything _does_ happen for a reason. He _is_ getting married and she knew she needed to let him be, she would, it was only fair. She began building a small stone circle. A driftwood bonfire had always awed her.

oOo

It was a new day, the day of his wedding and Jacob had woken with a stupid grin on his face. He noticed it wasn't quite as hot today either, he didn't mind it was better for him if there was a little rain. It made it realistic. La Push wasn't supposed to have two sunny days right after one another.

Jacob found himself in another over priced, over starched suit, in front of another mirror, his house this time, his room. Again fidgeting with his tie, his shirt, his pants, his shoes.

He was showered, shaved and he had to admit amongst all the inconveniences of wearing clothes he knew he looked damn good in a suit and Tessa tried to dress him in them as often as possible, he knew how it made her feel, just the sight of him.

Jacob heard his sister practically dragging herself up the stairs; this pregnancy had been tougher than her first, she blamed it on being a boy _'too much like his daddy._' She would say and give her bump a rub trying to get the little man to move. She'd been the only one to beg for them to wait another six months or so.

Rachel cracked the door a little before stepping in and situating her self on his bed. She was so big she really had to think about every movement she made. This baby was not going to be little and it was all Jacob had thought about for a long time.

"Hey how you holding up?" She asked, Jake chuckled.

"I feel like I should be pulling my sweats on and going for a run or something instead." She grimaced,

"Cold feet?" Jacob shook his head.

"Nahh, just itching. I'll be fine." Rachel knew what her brother really meant. _He_ wasn't itching, his wolf was.

Paul had told her all about Bella Swan, years ago, behind closed door's of course and this girl – _Teresa_ was not Jacob's imprint and she got the distinct feeling Jake was going along with what people seemed to want from him.

All his older sister saw was how young he was and how nothing in this situation was certain. If she didn't have Paul she wouldn't be where she was she knew that for a fact imprinting changed everything, it shouldn't but it _did_. It changed what she wanted, where she wanted to be in her life. She wished she'd seen them together, Bella and Jacob. When Jake was out of earshot and they had spoken about them, Rach had been more than interested in what everyone said.

Jake paused looking at his sister's pensive expression in the reflection of the mirror.

"What's up? Please do not go into premature labour today – just wait until after I leave ok, or else they will never let me go!" They both smiled, Rachel's face turned serious again,

"Just thinking… about mom… _annd_ my baby brother _really_ is all grown up now." Jake went and sat beside his sister, carefully trying not to jostle her.

"You think she'd be proud?" Rachel looked up at him,

"I _think _she would wonder what the hell kind of world we live in!" She cupped his cheeks and turned his face toward hers, tracing her finger tips over his feature's, so much like their mom it hurt sometimes.

"Dad thinks she'd stir dinner on the stove with a crowbar instead of a spoon just so she had it to hand." They both laughed. Jake sighed,

"I still want to go for that run." Rachel smiled sadly,

"I'll send your goon's up to keep you company."

"It's okay, don't bother."

oOo

Charlie Swan shook himself off, much like Bella had found herself doing when she was talking to Embry and Quil. Sue's hand covered his and squeezed.

"Come on, it looks like the boys are already here." She laughed as she smoothed her dress down from sitting in the car.

Looking over at Sue, Charlie remembered their day not all that long ago. How he wished Bella had been around for that.

"Chief!" Billy called out to him from the wide front deck Sam had built on the front of Jacob's house.

"_Chief!"_ Charlie called back grinning. He would try to put this morning to the back of his mind for Jake. Everyone saw how hurt Jacob was when Bella left and Billy had explained what was really going on when Jacob simply _blurred_ right in front of Charlie after he had found out the whole 'family' had left with no word and Bella became unreachable. Before he could take a step closer to the porch Embry appeared at the front door.

"Hey, Charlie. You got a sec?" Embry called as he hopped down the front steps. Sue smiled and headed in the opposite direction toward Billy,

"What's all that about then?" He asked Sue. She smiled sadly,

"I have an idea." She smiled down at him, "I'm sure he'll tell you later – like you two have secrets." She shook her head laughing, "You two don't need the pack mind – couldn't keep a secret if your lives depended on it." Billy laughed,

"That's very true, that."

oOo

Embry tried not to meet Bella's father's eyes, he didn't want to be the one to tell everyone she back, back home safe but he had decided it was better than Quil just blurting it out at the reception later on. Embry had been amazed Jake hadn't picked up the slightest bit of her scent on Quil or himself earlier. He'd always been so attuned to her, so much more than anything else. He could trace it, days old, mile's out, after a downpour. So Embry was sure he would have smelt something as soon as they came into the house even though neither of them had touched her. His senses must be weakening more than they thought.

Embry shifted his feet uncomfortably as he leaned on Charlie's Toyota. Charlie had a feeling he knew what was wrong with the boy.

"Where did you see her?" Embry was shocked and so very relieved he didn't have to break this news to Charlie that he brought his hand up to his chest and breathed a sigh of relief.

"The beach, she'd been surfing." He smiled dreamily with a far off look in his eyes. "Can you believe she would do that?" Charlie simply nodded a smile breaking out across his face also. It was something extraordinary. A _SPORT,_ Charlie was proud.

"She called me this morning. I met her at the diner earlier." Embry scratched his forehead.

"_I_ thought she was gona leave again. If she left without saying anything again… I don't know how he would take that. It's going to come out at some point, so I told her he was getting married." Charlie wrinkled his moustache and then smoothed it down again,

"He'd have got on with it – that's what Jacob does," Embry agreed. Surely it couldn't be as bad as it was the first time.

"You don't think we should tell him?"

"Not today, no. He doesn't need to second guess himself today."

"She said to give him her best." It was just a statement Embry felt that he should do doing something, this changed everything. He knew how hurt Jake was and if he chose that her return meant nothing then that'd be ok but he couldn't decide if Jake would want to know before or after he got married and Embry didn't know which way to turn but Charlie seemed to know what he was talking about.

oOo


	4. Chapter 4

Don't forget to check out my new site, happyeverafterproject(.)ning(.)com there are **exclusive chapters **for most of my stories that are only posted over there – link is on my profile page.

oOo

Bittersweet Mould : Four

oOo

Really all Jake wanted was a couple more minutes alone. It didn't look like he was going to get them. The pollen from the flower in his buttonhole was aggravating his sense of smell. He just wanted to get all this formal shit out of the way so they can go to the beach for the food.

He walked over to his dresser, picking up the delicate lace ribbon. It was all he had left; the delicate, pressed flower's had disintegrated years ago. Thankfully, the stench was long gone. It was the only real reminder he had of her and it stung that it was the wedding invitation. Slowly over the years Jake had taken it apart. The invitation that had caused him so much hurt so he could always carry a piece with him.

With a sigh he tucked it into his inside pocket on his jacket, after today he'd put it away. It wasn't fair to Tess. If he was actually going to make this work and be happy, as happy as he could be he knew that was what he needed to do.

Jake steadily took the sixteen stairs in his house down to where his brothers, his family was all waiting. He'd had a little bit of a shaky morning but put it down simply to the fact he was actually moving on and today was his fresh start.

He wasn't entirely sure he was ready to live up to the expectations everyone had of him right away, and he had a feeling many of the tribe expected them to announce Tess was pregnant shortly or expect she would become so on their honeymoon.

Jacob knew he didn't want that - he wasn't anywhere near ready for that just yet. Let them get used to living with one another first, he thought. There was his inner voice again - taunting him _- You should have fought harder for __**her**__._

As he reached the bottom he straightened his tie smirking as everyone cheered. He reached for his ponytail - _God how many years had it been since he had done that?_

Charlie was nearest and leaned in to slap him on the back, smiling while his own father was gunning for the door.

"Damn - did you just pick Sue up this morning and wash yourself with her?" Charlie blushed before coughing, he'd rather that than him catch the previous scent he'd been wearing. Sue clipped Jake up the side of his head as he laughed. He'd barely turned his head toward her and the laugh choked off, his smile fell as he stepped back shocked, the other members of the pack on instinct froze at Jacob's sudden change in attitude,

"Where is she?" he looked right to Charlie. Embry knew to stay still; he didn't want to draw any attention to himself whatsoever it was Quil, of course who thought slipping through the door would go unnoticed.

"QUIL!" Whether it was the alpha leftover in his wolf or the sheer weight of what he knew Quil froze to the spot.

"Where is she?" Jacob's head shot around the room, landing on Embry's face last. He shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do for the best.

"We saw her – at the beach this morning. She's renting the bungalow next door."

"WHAT! When – why did no one tell me?" Charlie felt somewhat responsible for telling Embry to keep quiet about it and spoke up,

"Only this morning Jake, she's alone, doesn't know where the Cullens are."

Jacob pushed through the crowd formed in his living room and out the front door, across the lawn to the recently refurbished house next door. Rapping his knuckles on the glass pane of the front door, he could see the lone suitcase in the hallway. Had he really been that distracted that he hadn't seen her, just known that she had come by.

It must have been while he was out – there is no way he would have missed that, missed her.

"Jake, come on man." Embry said from behind him.

"Look if we're going Jake we gotta go now." Quil stated, annoyed.

Jake turned on them, the majority of the pack scattered between the two houses, he was breathing deeply through his nose. His head swimming with her scent, his expression set in a deep scowl.

"Go – I'll follow." It was an order all the wolves felt it. How he was still that strong after not phasing for all those years was unknown to them, especially since he had never been Alpha.

oOo


	5. Chapter 5

Don't forget to check out my new site, happyeverafterproject(.)ning(.)com there are **exclusive chapters **for most of my stories that are only posted over there – link is on my profile page.

oOo

Bittersweet Mould : Five

oOo

Throwing himself into his own car he headed for the beach, really he had no idea where he would find her but if Embry and Quil had seen her there this morning it was a good place to start.

First place he headed was the tree, their tree. He hadn't been back there since the day Sam and Charlie found him drunk months after Bella had left with no word.

She wasn't there but she had been.

Jacob loosened his tie. He was so hot, he was burning up. He looked around scanning the beach; there wasn't anyone around as far as he could see.

Deflated he sat on the twisted, sun bleached tree and cradled his head in his hands. Why was he doing this too himself? If he had found her what would he have actually said? What did he want her to say? Resigned he let out a deep breath. Didn't she want to stop him? Did she feel nothing for him now?

The wind changed direction, and his eyes zeroed in on her, sitting further up the beach by the tidal pools, he could see a small fire.

Jacob headed in a straight line along the beach, arms trembling. He stopped fifteen foot or so behind her.

"There's a penalty for lighting bonfires on the beach without permission now, you know." Startled she turned to look at him, his heart clenched painfully in his chest. She had been crying, he could tell, he always knew. He watched her reach for a handful of sand.

"Sorry, I'll just – I didn't know." He waved it off,

"Doesn't matter, I don't get questioned." He swallowed worried her was, as always too relaxed in her presence. "What's the point of being able to make the rules if I can't break them?" She swallowed this time and looked away from him,

"That's very true." She smiled a small smile, not willing to meet his gaze. "You shouldn't be here Jake." Jake didn't answer her. His jaw was set, teeth clenched tight. "Shouldn't you be getting ready or something?" He shook his head not really wanting to comment,

"I have some time, Bells." She nodded, breaking a small twig between her fingers, before tossing it into the fire her knees drawn up against her chest, Jacob wondered if it was a similar action to her winding her arms around her chest.

"Congratulation's by the way." She glanced at him as he sat down on the sand next to her then at the horizon. He just nodded.

"Why didn't you call?" She laughed,

"Don't sugar coat it Jake." He wasn't relaxed enough to find her funny.

"I won't." She sighed,

"There are alot of reasons." Jake didn't look at her even though he wanted to, desperately.

"That's ok. Just tell me the main one." She nodded once. She had to think about that, they sat silently for a moment while she thought.

"I was a coward." She took a deep breath, "I didn't want to face the I-told-you-so's. If I had called you I would have come home and I wasn't ready for that. I'm ready now, Jake." Jake went to rebuff her, his fist clenched arms trembling, did she really think she could just walk back into his life. He was on his feet again ready to walk away.

"Still you should have called." Her lips pulled into a tight line.

"I thought face to face would be better." She looked at him, square in the eye, "It doesn't matter what's changed, I'll always be your best friend and no one will ever be able to replace you, even if you never speak to me again, there's nothing you could say, nothing you could do that I couldn't forgive." She pulled her cell from the pocket of her hoodie, "I gotta go." She stood up, "I'll see you around, Jake." She kicked sand over the small fire then turned to face him. Cautiously she stepped forwards into his space and slowly brought her hands up to his tie and fixed it, straightening it. She chuffed a laugh and stepped back, looking up at him.

"I always thought you'd look good in a suit." She nodded accenting her belief and smiled wryly. "Have a _good_ day, Jake." She squeezed his hand and he just watched her as she walked away from him and he had no clue if he should say anything, Jacob Black was shocked to silence. He could feel she meant it.

Shell-shocked he walked back to his car and drove to the church, everyone was waiting on him. Tess was waiting for him.

Stepping into the isle at the front of the church, the church she'd been dragging him to every Wednesday and Sunday since they got together. Jake saw her mother talking to the minister toward the back, or was it the front he could never really decide which way round it was. Standing uncomfortably at the 'front' with Embry to his side he remained silent.

"Aren't you going to ask me if I have the rings?" Embry joked giving him a nudge. Jacob rolled his eyes,

"No. There's a reason I gave them to you not Quil." Quil huffed.

The wedding march kicks up and Jake forces himself to face forward, he can hear every step she makes toward him, every rustle of the dress against itself, against her. He can smell how nervous she is, it's bordering on pure fear, he wonders if the other wolves can smell it too.

Her father deposits her hand in his and Jake stands there, he can feel the bitter taste in his mouth. After all this time and she comes back today. She talks to him like that. What was worse even though she had been honest with him and given him the answers he wanted he was so scared. What was he supposed to do now? Everything was planned, he couldn't very well run out of his own wedding.

Looking over at Tess he saw her blush. It wasn't nearly as pretty as he thought Bella's was. She was flawless, her complexion, the dress, her hair. She was a traffic stopper, all the guys thought so. He listens as she utters the word's after the minister and when its Jacob's turn he doesn't even realise he's so busy thinking.

The minister calls him again and Tess squeezes his arm, vying for his attention. "Sorry baby." He mutters. He looks up into her eyes, the dark green against her tan skin.

oOo

Cheekily he tries to sneak his tongue into her mouth, as the minister pronounces them man and wife she squeezes his arm, scalding him gently. He pulls away and she's blushing, smiling sweetly, biting down on her lip from embracement. He never thought he'd get her here, on this beach, becoming his wife.

The wind coming in off the surf has made her chilly. It's the first sunny day in April. It's been what? Ten maybe eleven years after her marriage to Edward, looking over at her new husband she can feel tears prick her eyes, it was nothing like this before. She thought that was probably because in so many ways it signified the end of something not the beginning. Her husband is slow and sensual, and fierce and passionate. He's a quiet fighter and she adores him for it.

She sighed happily turning to her left. Jacob stood next to her father at the front, clinging onto his little boys shoulders. Nathaniel was reaching for his Auntie Bell, both father and son had matching smiles on their faces.

"Thirty seconds and you can go to her, I promise." Jake told him. Tess of course was nowhere to be seen, she never was. Bella blanched a little at that, Tess was terribly jealous of her relationship with Jake. She was just that kind of woman, but so long as she treated Jacob right Bella had promised herself she would keep her mouth shut. It wasn't easy to talk to him about her, their relationships with other people had never been an easy subject; for either of them.

Upon her return to Forks she let him go, she told him to go back to his wedding and she didn't want to at the time. Some days she wondered if the first time she didn't act selfishly toward Jake was the worst thing she ever did. She had presumed they were happy, at the time she was pretty sure Tess would have been his imprint. _That _had been an awkward conversation.

Now Bella got to watch Jake as he was stuck in a loveless marriage with a woman who leaches off him ten times worse than she did at her lowest point and yet she can't regret anything because she has Embry and she loves him with everything that she is. So she helped Jake out as much as she could, as did Embry. They were both good men and she was very lucky to have either of them in her life.

She and Embry walked between the chairs that had been arranged for family and friends. When they reached the last row he swings her up into his arms and planted a full kiss on her lips and grabbed her ass.

"You wait until I get you home Mrs. Call." Embry growled out. She cocked her eyebrow and was about to retort with a witty comment until Nate crashed into her legs, Jake just behind him.

"Hey, here's my best boy." Bella told him as she and Embry grabbed one of his little hands each and hoisted him up, he clung to Bella's hip. "Where is baby sister?"

"Sleepin'." Nate told her with an over enthusiastic nod Bella just couldn't understand that woman. She had a beautiful family, home. She had Jacob but you could tell she still wasn't happy, the way she sneered at him over the smallest thing. She was a horrible woman, uncaring, unfeeling. Totally wrong for Jake. What on earth had he been thinking? Bella did feel the slight sting that he wasn't thinking and most likely it was her return combined with his damn pig-headedness that pushed him to go through with the wedding. Embry told her he would have done it anyway whether or not she had returned. Still, what was done was done.

As was everything Embry and Bella did it was easy. There was no awkward shift between the ceremony and the after party, it just happened.

Jake couldn't help but look on with sad eyes. This was how he had imagined his wedding being, close on fifteen years ago when his oldest sister first gave him the idea of getting married and what it meant. He would have liked for it to be on the beach. Sighing he shook his head, lifting baby Lucy upright to wind her, settling the bottle down on the table. Nate was curled in Leah's lap asleep.

"Hey, I'm going to take these babies home and settle them into bed." Lucy gave a loud burp and Jake winced, hearing the splat against his dress pants, it was nothing out of the ordinary though and he had a cloth ready.

"Sure, I'll give you a hand Jake." Leah helped Jake gather the kids things. Who would have thought a two year old and a baby needed so much junk. Jake watched Lucy fidget a little as he lay her down in the pram.

"I'm just going to say goodbye."

"Sure, sure. Whatever." Hesitantly he looked over at Bella and Embry, standing by the bonfire. He was pleased, relieved even for both of them but that didn't stop it hurting. It was strange to see how they fitted in with all the imprinted couples that they knew. It did two things for Jake, firstly it showed him how it was possible to be completely happy with someone who wasn't your imprint and second it highlighted what a crappy marriage he had.

Bella and Embry stood virtually back to back talking to other people and yet somehow their bodies were still gravitating to one another. She was a vision, exactly how he imagined her to look, simple satin gown, tailored just enough, the flames reflecting the hues in her hair as it hung loose down her back. She was the right kind of beautiful.

Feeling his eyes on her, the way she always could; she turned and smiled at him raising her champagne glass. Smiling back he walked over to her hands deep in his pockets, all these years he'd not stepped out of line, he wouldn't start doing so tonight. He loved his brother and her much to much to spoil what they have.

Like Bella would. Things were different now and Embry certainly wasn't Edward. Jake knew he didn't stand a chance. He wondered if maybe things were better with Tess if he wouldn't still love Bella the way he did, he knew for certain it only made things harder for him.

"Thank you for today honey." Even on her wedding day she had helped him out with the kids, Embry too. He was lucky to have them, especially still just next door. Embry turned around, sliding his arm around her waist and laughed.

"It's all good practice Jake. She's gonna need it." Jake watched Embry look down at her with a sparkle in his eye as she slapped his chest.

"Will you shut up, you big idiot, it's bad enough your brothers will know."

"Know what? Come on, you can't say something like that, am I going to be an Uncle? _Finally?_" Bella narrowed her eyes at Embry and wafted her hand in a gesture that told them both 'see what I mean'.

"Not yet, but soon." Embry told him, Bella blushed a little. Jake didn't know how she dealt with the pack mind. Jake had heard how out-landish she could be even if he thankfully hadn't had to endure it through the pack mind but she knew it wasn't something she felt comfortable talking about.

"Emb you know success usually has alot to do with stress levels so can we please stop telling people?"

"What?" He pretended to look shocked. "You said. They are going to know anyway."

"I'm not talking to you anymore." Bella joked, turning her attention to Jake. "Come here you big oaff." Reaching up she grabbed at his shoulders and pulled him toward her, as if they didn't see each other every single day.

"I'm sorry. You know... that Tess couldn't make it." Bella pulled away and Jake managed a small smile. He was slightly embarrassed by his wife's actions towards his friends, whether or not she felt uncomfortable about Bella's sudden reappearance she should have been at his side. Embry had disappeared off, mingling with the other guests. Jake often noticed he would do this and he hoped his feelings weren't as obvious as they once had been.

"You know it doesn't bother me Jake. **You** were here that's all that mattered." There was a pregnant pause.

"You're going to be a great mom, Bells." He laughed, he really did mean it, he had always known she would be, "Hey, you know if you wanted you could just adopt, I know these two kids... They are real cute, no trouble at all, no back ache, peeing all the time." They both laughed.

"Yea, Jake, like you would give your kids up." Jake smiled over in the direction of his kids, Leah swaying as she held Nate.

"I know right." Bella pulled him back to her. Over the years their hugs had changed, now she was the one holding him, fixing him. He knew all too often now he was the one taking too much now. Pulling back she held his face, she knew exactly what was wrong,

"No regrets honey." Quickly burying her head into the crook of his neck she gave him another squeeze, "Come on, get those babies home. I'll see you tomorrow some time." Jake thought quickly, he was hoping Tess was going to take a couple of days owed from the gym. It wasn't like there weren't people that could do the job for a few hours.

Shortly after their marriage Tess had lost her job, she got so board at home Jake said she could work in the office for a couple of hours. Over time she had taken on more and more hours, responsibilities, even opening a second gym between Forks and Seattle just six months after Nate had been born. Jake didn't mind he just wanted her happy so obviously he jumped at the opportunity to stay at home with Nate and now Lucy. He believed he was lucky for having the opportunity.

"I'm good Bells, I'm good. I'll see you in a couple of days honey. Have fun." Embry suddenly back beside her as Jake released her.

"Oh she will." Embry winked yanking Jake toward him. "See you in a couple of days bro."

oOo


End file.
